Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

After "gooling" for these two, it would appear that I was wrong - I have mosquito fish in my ponds, not guppies. They definitely are not as colourfull as the guppy pictures I have seen.

http://www.lawestvector.org/MosquitoFish.htm

The Australian variety of "mosquito fish" .... Gambusia holbrooki - the Eastern Gambusia is a varient of the native Gulf of Mexico Gambusia.

http://www.amonline.net.au/FISHES/fishf ... brooki.htm

The native "rainbow" fish inhabits a similar habitat and range ....

http://www.mdbc.gov.au/subs/fish-info/n ... wfish.html

Strangely enough, I've also been looking at the local "mosquito fish" and thinking to myself, "man these fish look a lot like guppies."

So do we have an answer? Angie, where are you?

Please help with diagnosis and treatment.
I dumped 6kg of salt into the 600L aquarium (linked to the 6000L AP system, so it mixed in eventually)
I just don't know what's going on.
These koi were ok, then developed weird pink fuzziness on fins, treated with salt, and it stop spreading, and maybe appeared to reduce.
Then it got worse, I treated again, and it appears to not be getting better.
Is it the temps (mid 20's) ? is the salt the problem? SP, Trout and Catfish have 0 issues. Just the koi.
Please help, DW loves these fish, and they're sort of the only reason I was allowed to start AP, let alone knock a hole in the wall for the FT!

Sorry about the crap photos, but fish move fast, and the lighting was poor, so I couldn't shut the exposure down any more. For the camera enthusiasts, I was using ISO 1600, F2.8 and 1/15s - 1/30s exposure. I have no idea how to shoot fish any better than that. I have metal haelide globes illuminating them for crying out loud!

The pink spots on the body are difficult to make out on the photo but could be ulcers cause by the trout biting, the increased salinity may have stressed the trout causing them to bother the koi? The ulcers can develop into finrot or septicaemia when a bacterial infection sets in and this usually is more prevalent as water temps increase. Do a search for Aeromonas, Pseudomonas, furunculosis, or 'hole disease' (term commonly used by koi keepers).

From my Koi book
"While common salt is a very useful medication and supportive treatment, it is vital to ensure the required amount is completely dissolved before adding fish to strong dips. Otherwise the belly and fins may be severely damaged." Referred to as salt burns. You did say you just dumped 6kg in.

Guidelines for salting from the book:
3% up to ten minutes - remove fish immediately if it shows distress
1% 1-2 weeks - use with malachite green or phenoxyethanol
0.3% continuous

Thanks heaps. Will do.
Salinity should not be over 3ppt, definitely not over 6.
Trout bites eh? DW will not be pleased.

Just sounds similar to the bacterial ulcers which I believe require some break in the skin to get them started. Let me know how you go, and what you do.

DW rang to inform me we lost a Koi today. One of the new yellow ones she was so enamoured of.

How new, could they have come with a disease? Did they come from a reputable dealer? I would separate them and try adding some comercial fixit type stuff for koi from a aquarium or pond shop. There is a whole range of stuff available for koi from tetra.

Burnsy they come from the Australian Koi farm, with great accolades to their name. They come from the same place that the first batch came from, and I think the pink growthy thing on the fins was there prior to the introduction of new fish.

Are they close to you? Take the dead koi back to them and let them have a look and advise on what to treat the others with.

Koi are great, my daughter just loves ours, she is 15 months old and dangles her hands and feet in the tank with them and they nibble at her.

Well I drove there, but no... I don't think the 8 hour journey is worth it... I was thinking of placeing a call though

Mmm that is a long drive. Should be able to get some better photos now it's not swimming away and email them to them

What price do they ask for a koi like that over your way and how long was it? Some of the Koi over here are hugley expensive to buy from the koi farms if they are anything over about 20cm, usually $40 or more per fish, after they reach 30cm that price usually tripples at least.

yeah simmilar... you can buy 5-7cm fish for $8 or so,... that's the size I like to buy them... last time though they had no fingerlings, so bought 10cm for $15 I think.